Avery's POV

I shoved open the heavy oak doors of the packhouse, stepping into the grand foyer. The familiar scent of pine and earth filled my lungs, yet it no longer felt like home. My fingers brushed against my swollen eyes, willing away the redness before anyone could notice.

His scent was still here—strong, commanding, impossible to ignore. Even before I saw him, I heard his footsteps. And then, there he was.

Harland’s sharp gaze locked onto mine the moment he rounded the corner.

“Avery,” he said, his tone cool and clipped. “What’s wrong with your eyes?”

A part of me wanted to believe he asked because he cared. That maybe, just maybe, I still mattered. But there was no softness in his face, no concern—only impatience.

“It’s nothing,” I murmured, lowering my gaze. “Just... got something in them.”

He studied me for a brief moment, then shrugged. “We’re late. Let’s go.”

I hesitated. “I need to change first. I—”

“No,” he cut me off, his voice firm. “You don’t need to change. We don’t have time for that.”

I glanced down at my worn jeans and plain shirt, my stomach sinking. “But—”

“Enough, Avery.” His fingers wrapped around my wrist—not rough, but unyielding. “You look fine. We’re leaving.”

Fine. That’s all I ever was to him now. Just... fine.

The car ride to the gathering was silent. I sat stiffly in the passenger seat, staring out at the darkened landscape, hands clasped tightly in my lap. With each mile, my heart grew heavier. I was heading into a room full of people who barely saw me anymore—who wished I’d never existed in the first place.

By the time we arrived, the grand hall was already alive with laughter and excitement. Conversations hummed, glasses clinked, and admiration rippled through the crowd—all for her.

Maureen.

She stood at the center of it all, dressed in a shimmering diamond-studded gown that caught every light. Her long, perfect waves cascaded down her back, her radiant smile lighting up the room. A swan among sparrows.

I glanced down at myself again. My jeans suddenly felt too tight, my shirt too plain. I was an intruder here. A misplaced puzzle piece.

Then, Alpha Garry—her father—stepped onto the dais.

“Tonight, we celebrate the return of my daughter, Maureen,” he announced, his voice brimming with pride. “She has suffered greatly, but now she’s home—where she belongs. From this moment on, she will be cherished as she deserves.”

Thunderous applause filled the hall. I stood at the edge of the crowd, feeling like a ghost.

“She’s gorgeous,” someone whispered behind me.

“Poor Maureen,” another murmured. “Imagine everything she went through... while that girl took her place.”

Heat crept up my cheeks.

“She’s a fraud.”

“What a joke.”

The words dug into me like thorns. I swallowed hard, willing myself not to react.

Then, a voice—calm, sweet, yet laced with something sharper—cut through the air.

“Avery.”

I turned. Maureen stood before me, a glass of red wine in her delicate hand. Her lips curved into a smile, but her eyes gleamed with something darker.

“Enjoying the party?” she asked lightly.

I hesitated. “I—”

Her expression didn’t waver. “You must be thrilled to see everything back where it should be.”

I stiffened. “Maureen, I—”

“You stole my life,” she said softly, stepping closer. “You took my family. My home.”

“It wasn’t my choice,” I whispered.

She tilted her head, feigning curiosity. “Wasn’t it?” Her gaze flicked past me, landing on Harland Her lips curled. “Even my mate?”

“I never—”

“You did,” she murmured, her voice smooth as silk. “But don’t worry. I have everything back now.” She leaned in, lowering her voice to a whisper. “How does it feel to lose everything, Avery?”

Before I could respond, she turned.

And then, with a small, deliberate motion, she tipped her wineglass.

Deep red liquid splashed down the front of her gown. The glass slipped from her fingers, shattering against the marble floor.

Gasps filled the room as Maureen stumbled backward, her voice breaking into a perfect, practiced sob.

“Oh my goddess, please don’t!” she whimpered, her eyes wide with feigned terror. “Why would you do this to me?”

Silence.

Then all eyes turned to me.

“I—” My voice caught in my throat, panic surging.

“Avery!”

Harland’s voice cut through the noise, sharp and accusing. He was by Maureen’s side in an instant, his face contorted with fury.

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

“I didn’t—” I started, my heart hammering.

“How could you?” Alpha Garry’s voice thundered. “You took a life that was never yours, and now you can’t even let your sister have her moment?”

“She’s not my sister!” The words tore from my throat before I could stop them.

A sharp crack rang through the air.

Harland’s hand met my cheek before I even saw it coming.

A sharp sting spread across my skin, the force of the slap making me stumble. I reached up, pressing trembling fingers to my burning cheek, my vision blurring with tears.

And as the room spun around me, as whispers filled the space like a suffocating fog, my hand drifted to my stomach—where no one knew yet.

Where our child—my child—was growing.

Avery's POV

The sharp crack of Harland’s palm against my cheek reverberated through the room, freezing me in place. For a moment, the world lost its shape—the murmurs of the crowd faded into nothing, and all I could process was the searing pain spreading across my skin. But the sting wasn’t just physical. It was the cold, merciless look in his eyes that cut deeper than any slap ever could. The man I had once trusted, the man for whom I had given up everything, had just struck me as if I were nothing. Not his Luna. Not his mate. Just something disposable.

Tears burned the back of my eyes, but I swallowed them down. I refused to break in front of him. I refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing me crumble. But the weight in my chest was unbearable—months, years of silent suffering pressing down on me, suffocating me.

“Avery!” Harland’s voice snapped through the silence like a whip, sharp and full of accusation. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

I parted my lips to speak, but nothing came out. The entire room had gone deathly quiet, all eyes locked onto me, yet their judgment paled in comparison to the pure rage burning in Harland’s gaze.

“Enough.” My father’s voice boomed across the hall, carrying all the authority of Alpha Garry. “Avery, stop making a scene. This is a celebration, and you’re ruining it. We have our beloved daughter back, and instead of welcoming her, you’re sulking and crying.”

His words struck like a dagger. Beloved daughter. As if I had never truly belonged, as if I had only been a stand-in, a mistake—one they were eager to erase now that the rightful heir had returned.

“You always bring down the mood,” my mother, Luna Kierra, scoffed, her voice thick with disdain. “Every time you’re here, it’s like a dark cloud settles over everything. Go somewhere else if you want to cry. This night is about Maureen, not you.”

A choked sob escaped before I could stop it. The walls of my chest threatened to cave in. Leave, they commanded. Disappear.

So, I did.

I didn’t plead. I didn’t fight. I didn’t waste another second trying to explain myself to people who had already decided I was unworthy. My own parents, the ones who should have loved me unconditionally, had discarded me. And Harland—the man I had built my life around—had humiliated me without hesitation. There was nothing left here for me.

As I stepped into the crisp night air, my wolf snarled inside me, its fury a wildfire raging through my veins. My body trembled with it—the urge to destroy, to unleash all the pain and betrayal clawing at my insides. I wanted to tear apart this world that had cast me aside. I wanted them to feel even a fraction of what I felt.

But then, my hand instinctively pressed against my abdomen.

The anger screeched to a halt, drowned out by a single, fragile thought. I was pregnant.

I clenched my jaw, forcing the fire back down. Not yet. My wolf growled in protest, but I knew—I knew—I couldn’t afford to lose control. Not now. Not when I carried a life inside me, innocent and undeserving of my vengeance. So, I walked. One step at a time, I left behind everything I had once known.

I drifted through the streets, aimless, my mind a tangled mess of rage and despair. I had nowhere to go, no plan—only the suffocating realization that I no longer had a place in this world. I wasn’t the Alpha’s daughter anymore. I wasn’t Harland’s mate. I was just… Avery.

Eventually, my feet carried me back to the packhouse. The home I had once believed was mine. The place where I had built my life with Harland As I pushed open the door, the quiet unease in my chest twisted into something far worse.

And then I heard it.

Soft, breathy moans.

A sound that shattered whatever fragile hope I had left.

I stood motionless, my heart lodged in my throat. The unmistakable rhythm of bodies moving together, the laughter, the whispered words—Harland and Maureen. In our bed.

A voice I had once loved spoke, casual, smug. “You’re so much better than her,” Harland murmured. “Avery’s lifeless in bed, like a damn corpse.”

A cold, bitter laugh escaped my lips before I could stop it. The final piece of my shattered heart crumbled to dust.

Maureen giggled, voice dripping with satisfaction. “She was never meant to be yours, anyway. I belong here.”

My wolf howled in rage, demanding blood, demanding destruction. My nails dug into my palms as I fought the urge to let go. I couldn’t. Not yet.

I didn’t know how long they stayed tangled in my sheets, desecrating the last remnants of what I had believed was love. But eventually, Maureen left, and I turned to go, my steps heavy with the weight of finality.

The door creaked open behind me.

Harland stepped into the hallway, his expression as indifferent as ever. As if I were nothing more than an inconvenience.

“You’re here.” His tone was flat, almost bored. “I’m hungry. Go make me something.”

Something inside me snapped.

I didn’t move. I didn’t blink.

Without a word, I walked past him, gathering the framed photos that lined the shelves. Pictures of us. Memories I had once cherished. One by one, I collected them into a box.

Then, I took them outside.

The fire caught easily. Flames curled around the edges of the photographs, devouring the love I had once clung to. I watched as our past turned to ash, as every illusion I had built was reduced to nothing.

Harland stormed out, eyes narrowing. “What the hell are you doing?” His voice was sharp, commanding. “Are you deaf? I told you to cook.”

I didn’t even glance at him. His words meant nothing anymore. His voice no longer had the power to wound me.

“There’s food in the fridge,” I said, my tone eerily calm. “Help yourself.”

As the fire roared higher, I let my gaze drift to the house behind me—the place that no longer felt like home. The walls, the furniture, the very air reeked of Maureen. It wasn’t mine anymore.

I set a timer. By tomorrow, when I was far away, when nothing tied me to this place anymore, this house would burn.

A fitting end.

With one last glance at the flames, I reached for the divorce agreement. I had prepared it after they had pushed me out of the celebration. Thankfully, a friend had rushed the process for me. It was time to end this.

When I returned inside, Harland was still on the phone with Maureen, his attention nowhere near me. I placed the papers in front of him. “Sign this.”

He barely looked up. With a careless shrug, he scrawled his signature across the page and shoved them back at me. “There. Happy now? Leave me alone.”

I took the papers, fingers tightening around them. The final tie between us was severed.

As I turned to leave, I whispered under my breath, so softly he couldn’t hear—

“I will. Forever.”

Avery's POV

I sat alone at my desk, tucked away in the quietest corner of my bedroom, the weight of my reality crashing down on me. The pain, the betrayal, the fury—they all twisted together, suffocating my thoughts. I had no choice. I had to walk away, and this time, there would be no turning back.

My hand trembled as I gripped the pen, struggling to find the right words. But I couldn’t leave without saying something. Something for Harland Something that would put an end to the illusion I had once believed in.

I began writing:

Harland,

I can’t do this anymore. I’m done. You have shattered every piece of me I thought you once cherished. I won’t keep pretending—not for you, not for anyone. I’m leaving, and this time, I won’t be looking back.

And you never even noticed, did you? It never even crossed your mind to care. I’m pregnant. A week ago, I stood in front of that damn gift box, ready to surprise you with the news, and you were too preoccupied with Maureen. The woman you so desperately wanted beside you, the one who replaced me, the one who reduced me to nothing more than a shadow in her wake.

I thought what we had was real. I believed in us. Five years of my life—our life—meant absolutely nothing to you. Every moment we shared, every ounce of love I poured into us, was meaningless to you.

I know you’re tired of me. I know I bore you. I know I will never be her. I don’t have what she does. But now, you don’t have to endure me any longer. I’m walking away from you, from your deception, from this place that has suffocated me for far too long.

Goodbye, Harland, for the last time.

Forever,

Avery

I stared at the letter, my heart unraveling with every word. This wasn’t just the end of a relationship—it was the end of everything I had held onto, everything I had fought for. A part of me wanted to stay, to demand answers, to scream at him for everything he had done. But deep down, I knew it was useless. There was nothing left for me here.

I carefully folded the letter, tucking it into the box beside the divorce papers I had prepared earlier. The weight of that box felt heavier than just documents—it carried the remnants of my past, the final chapter of this painful story.

My gaze swept across the room, once filled with memories, now poisoned with heartache. The faint scent of Maureen still lingered, a cruel reminder of everything I had lost. My stomach twisted, but I had no time for regret. Staying here any longer would only prolong my suffering.

I grabbed the box and slipped out through the back door, weaving silently through the packhouse until I reached the Alpha’s office. This box—this final fragment of my past—had to be somewhere Harland would find immediately.

The walk was eerily quiet, my footsteps echoing through the stillness. Soon, this place would be nothing but ashes. I had set the timer before leaving—the packhouse would be engulfed in flames once I was far enough away. There was no turning back.

At the office, I placed the box behind a pile of papers on his desk. One last glance around, one last breath of this life, and then I walked away. Straight to the airport.

As I boarded the plane, reality settled over me like a heavy fog. This wasn’t just the end of Harland and me. It was the end of everything. I no longer belonged here—not in the pack, not in that house, not with him.

Strapping myself in, I exhaled a shaky breath. But just as I started to let go, a news broadcast on the airport screen caught my eye.

BREAKING NEWS: The Royal Family Continues Search for Their Long-Lost Daughter.

My pulse spiked.

The king and queen had spent over twenty years searching for their stolen child, the princess taken from them at birth. The only clue to her identity? A birthmark on her left wrist—a crescent-shaped mark.

I glanced at my own wrist.

The familiar mark stared back at me.

No. It couldn’t be. Just a coincidence. It had to be.

Yet, no matter how hard I tried, the thought refused to leave me. My mind spiraled, but before I could dwell on it, my phone vibrated in my pocket.

I checked the screen. My heart clenched.

Harland

I ignored it.

Then, more messages flooded in.

“The house is on fire. Where are you? Are you inside? Answer me now.”

Another.

“I knew you weren’t there. Where are you? Maureen is sick. I heard you have the Moonstone—you need to come back. You can help her.”

I almost laughed. Even now, they still wanted something from me.

Then, a new message.

“What’s with the divorce papers? I never signed them. What’s happening? Just talk to me. I can explain.”

Explain? Now he wanted to explain?

Another.

“Why can’t I feel the mate bond anymore? Why does it feel… gone? Avery, where are you?”

I didn’t reply. I wouldn’t. I blocked his number, severing the last tie between us.

The mate bond? It had broken the moment he chose Maureen over me.

I leaned back, watching as the plane taxied down the runway.

I had done it. I had left it all behind.

I was finally free.

And I was never coming back.